Dictators and gladiators
by Cybertronprincess
Summary: Checkered board AU. Honour and freedom; it makes us, but can also break us. To lose one's honour, to feel that humiliation; it can destroy you. To have your freedom taken away; what would be the point in living?


_Honour and freedom... it makes us, but can also break us,_

_To lose one's honour, to feel that humiliation; it can destroy you,_

_To have your freedom taken away; what would be the point in living?_

"There is no point," His aqua green optics slid up to meet the crimson gaze of the mech before him. "Without honour, how can there be a warrior?" Clawed fingers stroked down the side of his helm. "Without freedom, how can there be lasting peace?"

"There can't be..." Megatronus nodded.

"My honour would be ripped from me if I were to steal the freedom of one so pretty simply because our peers order it," he wiped a tear gently from the pearly cheek it rolled down. "Please Soundwave; I will not have you if you don't want me."

"But..." He looked down at his pedes. "But Blaster and Shockwave-"

"Will never need to know." He tilted the smaller mech's helm upwards, yet his gaze avoided his own. "They have no connections to yours Spark; Blaster is not your creator, and Shockwave is not your twin." Soundwave's optics widened. "Allow me to woo you first, and if you still fear me, we shall say that our 'bond' has failed."

"You want me to lie to my brother about bonding with you?"

"Not if you dislike the idea." Soundwave felt his Spark flutter as the gladiator lowered himself to one knee and gently kissed his servo.

"What about Galvatron?" Megatronus growled quietly.

"My father has never engaged the maternal bond my entire life; for all I know, it may not even be there." He sighed. "He will remain unaware of whether I am bonded to you or not."

Soundwave, servant and adopted son to the Rhythmbound king, Blaster, stared in awe at the gladiator son of Warlord Galvatron and Warrior Cyclonus. For one so strong and large, he was so gentle. Not like the brutes that fought in his king's name; no, not like those aggressors at all. And wouldn't Shockwave be pleased with that? To know that a potential mate for his precious little brother treats him with respect and care.

"I won't lie to Shockwave," He stated. "I could never lie to him, but only him. Trust me; my brother can keep a secret."

"Trust you I shall." Megatronus stood, having still been on one knee. Never before had he seen a mech so pretty, even more so than those Seekers they threw to his fellow Gladiators after a battle. The ones he never so much as touched. And if he would not harm or defile a delicate, beautiful and terrified little Seeker, why would he do so to Soundwave?

The younger mech was clearly petrified when he'd walked in behind his father, Galvatron. The Warlord himself was even taller and broader than Trannis, and had to hunch down in order to not crash his head through the ceiling of the palace. His brother, Shockwave, had instantly bristled at their presence; they both knew what the two mechs were here for.

Their king, Blaster, had then stood up with that ever friendly smile, and said, "Good evening gentlemechs, a pleasure to see you."

"And you, your majesty." Galvatron had bowed aptly, then punched his son's arm, signalling for him to do the same. But Megatronus was far to enthralled by the beautiful mech sitting on the king's right, staring back in utter terror. Blaster's grin widened as Galvatron hissed threats to his son, and waved him off.

"I see our Soundwave had caught your optic, young Gladiator." Blaster chuckled. "Good, and understandable; isn't he pretty?" He gestured for the youngest mech in the room to stand by his side, who obeyed instantly, standing just in front of the king, shuffling shyly on the spot. "Lord Galvatron, in order for us to have a lasting alliance, I would like your son to bond with our little Soundwave." Galvatron grunted at this.

"I would've thought the eldest would be my son's betrothed."

"He would've been, but Shockwave is already bonded." In the corner of his optic, Megatronus might have noticed the older brother's singular optic narrowing bitterly at the king. But again, he was far too enchanted to pay the other mechs in the room any mind. "Megatronus?" He looked up, realising the king and his father had been trying to get his attention. Galvatron looked annoyed, but the king seemed amused. "Shall I take your staring as an approval?" He asked cheerfully.

Megatronus licked his lower lip carefully, his CPU full of smoke and bubbles, keeping him from speaking clearly as he looked back down at Soundwave. "I... y-yes!" He managed eventually.

"Wonderful! Then if you'd like to follow me." Blaster then moved towards the side of the room, opening a sliding door and stepping through. "Come along Soundwave; don't keep your betrothed waiting." With a gulp and a pleading side glance to his brother, Soundwave hurriedly shuffled towards the door. Megatronus watched the little mech walk; even when he stumbled, he did so elegantly.

"That goes for you too, boy." He looked up at his father's narrowing gaze. "Do not let me down." Megatronus blinked.

"B-but... I don't even have his brother's favour yet-"

"Move, boy!" He broke into a sprint across the room, and through the door at his father's raised voice. He felt Shockwave's stare on his back, like the violet mech was surprised yet impressed about something. Maybe at how such a large mech could move so fast, given the right incentive.

Blaster lead them down a few hallways, until they reached a positively beautiful room. There was a low, white double berth below a frosted window, polished floors, and a sliding door to a long porch, which presented the view of a glorious garden. A techno blossom tree rained petals outside, and as Soundwave turned to face him with such a backdrop, Megatronus felt he could've fainted.

"Have you ever heard of the planet Earth, young Gladiator?" He forced himself to look at the king; Blaster was a tall mech, a little more bulky than Soundwave, but roughly the same build. His armour was red with streaks of orange and a white forehead guard. Crystal blue optics sparkled in his helm; he was clearly a genuinely friendly mech.

"I can't say I have, my lord." He replied. Blaster smiled and turned to the younger mech.

"It is a tiny planet in a tiny pocket of a tiny galaxy," He explained playfully. "Upon it are plenty of countries that my travellers observed through time warps, until they found Ancient Japan. I fell in love with the culture there, and decided to base my very home around it. Lovely, isn't it?" Half way through his explanation, Megatronus had gone back to staring at Soundwave, but the little mech refused to return his gaze.

"Yes, very lovely."

Blaster smiled, knowing the Gladiator was no longer listening. "Ah, young love." He chuckled. "Make your father and I proud young Gladiator. Have my Soundwave grant us many gorgeous little Sparklings." Soundwave audibly and visibly hiccuped at the prospect. Blaster glanced at him in surprise, then smiled and shrugged. "You have nothing to worry about Soundwave; you will make a wonderful carrier." With a light kiss on the navy mech's helm, Blaster left them alone.

Finally, Soundwave's optics travelled up to meet Megatronus'. But upon contact, Soundwave suddenly burst into tears and fell to his knees. This made the larger mech jump, then rush to crouch beside the bawling mech.

"Shh, calm down," He cooed gently, wrapping an arm around Soundwave's middle and rocking him a little. "Come now, tell me what's wrong."

"I don't even know you!" Soundwave howled, covering his pretty face with his servos. "I didn't even know what you looked like until you walked into the throne room! And yet he expects me to bond with you?"

Megatronus stared again, then began rubbing Soundwave's back. "To be honest, I had no idea what you looked like either." Soundwave glanced up, looking into those day-glow blue optics. Megatronus offered him a comforting smile. "But you are very lovely."

"... Thank you." This didn't stop his crying though. Megatronus moved away to give Soundwave his space, letting the younger mech hiccup and sob to his Spark's content. He watched from a little way away, and could only think of that little silver Seeker that Blackout had tossed to him after his victory over Lugnut.

Starscream, his name was.

The poor Seeker was barely legal yet; a beautiful, angelic little thing with wings so delicate, Megatronus thought simply looking at them the wrong way would dent them. Listening to the little thing cry made him feel nauseous; they could both clearly hear what the other Gladiators were doing to the Seekers _they'd_ been given, and both knew what Starscream expected Megatronus to do.

But he couldn't bring himself to do so.

"Honour and freedom... it makes us, but can also break us," Soundwave looked up at the larger mech, who was staring into the distance. "To lose one's honour, to feel that humiliation; it can destroy you," Megatronus shook his head, then gazed deeply into the smaller mech's large, slanted optics. "To have your freedom taken away; what would be the point in living?"

* * *

Soundwave hummed softly as he stroked his pet's helm; enjoying the feeling of adoration and the sensation of a ravenous glossa slurping away inside of him. He groaned and rolled his hips slightly, then bent his helm back to grin at the trophies on their wall.

Blaster's surprised, betrayed expression stared back at him, while Galvatron's enraged, yet understanding scowl glared at his son between Soundwave's thighs.

The pretty mech giggled, then purred as he wrapped his legs around Megatron's helm.

"The desire for honour and freedom brings down the great Dictators; but we grant both, my love." He groaned deeply as overload seeped through his systems. Megatron pulled back after swallowing most of the juices, then moved so he was looming over his mate, servos resting on berth either side of a smiling Soundwave's head. "So we shall prevail, don't you think?"


End file.
